OceanicTime Archives

2011-11-14

By TLex The name AQUADIVE was a name that was once renowned by divers the world over. During the 60s and 70s Aquadive professional dive watches were consider to be among the toughest and most reliable dive watches on the market. They were designed to endure the extreme conditions that professional divers subjected them to, but were also appreciated for their beautiful designs that used cases and components that were handcrafted according Swiss watchmaking traditions. Today vintage Aquadive models are highly sought after by collectors . . .

REBIRTH After several decades of absence and some years of planning the AQUADIVE name is back with a new line-up of watches that pay tribute to the great dive watches of the past, while remaining true to their origins. I am a little too young to remember, when Aquadive were around, but know the name and its importance in modern dive watch history; it's really wonderful to see yet another great name return. The SQUALE brand and Isofrane brand of the same era have also recently seen a renaissance.

VINTAGE-MODERN What really blows me away about this rebirth is that the watches have been well and truly dragged into the 21st Century, and not necessarily kicking and screaming either. Aquadive have used tough modern materials like DLC coatings and ceramic, they have innovated, such as the ingenious relocation of the ubiquitous HEV to between the lugs, and have managed to increase performance with 1000 and 3000 meter depth-ratings. All this whilst remaining authentic; in other words the watches haven't lost their soul!

NEW MODELS The first series of watches, to be introduced in 2012 will be partially made using genuine Aquadive NOS [new old stock] components. The NOS vintage diver case and crystal are Aquadive NOS. Its movement and all gaskets are new Swiss made. The Bathyscaphe 300 is CNC machined off new old stock Swiss Made stainless steel blanks. As well as these a third model, the Bathyscphe 100 DLC is also in the works . . .

BATHYSCAPHE 100 DLC Aquadive set out to create a new classic, and protected it using a high tech scratch-free DLC coating applied in Switzerland, and a state of the art scratch-free Ceramic bezel insert. A sports watch that looks ready to tackle any situation you might want to throw at it. While it looks straight out of the 60s, it's a thoroughly modern dive watch with a depth rating of 1000 meters.

BATHYSCAPHE 300 This modern classic takes design elements from Aquadive Divers of the 70s and updates them for today's divers and dive watch enthusiast; as a result, and due to the massive construction, depth rating of 3000 meters / 10000 feet are achieved. It features a unique movement suspension system that isolates the movement from the case in a soft iron cage that also acts as an anti-magnetic and anti shock protection system. The Bathyscaphe 300 has a built in automatic HRV (Helium Release Valve) for added safety in extreme diving conditions.

NOS DIVER Aquadive have in their possession a very limited number of new old stock pieces of this classic 60s diver. A piece of dive watch history, a piece of Aquadive; This genuine NOS (New Old Stock) Aquadive has a Swiss hand made case equipped with a bidirectional rotating bezel and a classic aluminum insert.

The cases were found fully assembled with a heslite domed crystal in the old Aquadive inventory. They have been carefully re-assembled by hand using all new gaskets. This watch has a depth rating of 660ft, and is equipped with a new Aquadive dial with applied SuperLuminova markers. It is operated by a new Swiss Made ETA 2824-2, 25 jewel movement replacing the original movement in order to guarantee performance for years to come.

MORE For further details, pricing and specifications, please follow the AQUADIVE logo below, where you'll be taken to the wonderful new Aquadive website . . . to join in the discussion please click HERE for the official Aquadive Forum . . .